Swath roller with controlled anchoring force

ABSTRACT

A swath roller apparatus is adapted to be attached to a swather, where the swather is operative to cut standing crop plants and lay cut plants in a swath as the swather moves along the ground in an operating travel direction. A drum is rotatably attached to an axle that is adapted to be movably attached to a rear portion of the swather such that the axle is oriented substantially horizontally and perpendicular to the operating travel direction, and such that the drum moves up and down and rolls along a top of the swath exerting a downward anchoring force on the swath. A bias element is operative to exert a bias force on the axle, and a bias force control is operative to vary the bias force to vary the anchoring force.

This disclosure is in the field of agricultural implements and inparticular swath rollers for pushing crop swaths down into standingstubble.

BACKGROUND

In some agricultural areas it is popular to cut and windrow, or swath,crops before harvesting in order to promote earlier and more uniformmaturing and to achieve the necessary drying of the crop. An implementknown as a swather comprises generally a cutting header and belts to laycut crop in a swath. The header is typically raised and lowered by lifthydraulic cylinders to follow ground contours and variations in cropheight. Such swathers can be self-propelled, or towed behind a tractor.

There is risk of loss or damage to a crop while it is in the swath. Inthe case of light and fragile crops such as canola, peas, flax or beansthis risk includes loss of crop that is shelled out onto the ground dueto wind action on the swath and the possibility of the wind actuallydislocating and scattering the swath, making efficient harvestingimpossible.

As these crops dry in the swath they become lighter, more brittle andincreasingly susceptible to movement & damage by the wind. To minimizelosses and damage to the crop in the swath it has become common practiceto use a swath roller to compact the swath and push it down into thesupporting standing stubble and anchor the swath to resist movement bywind.

Swath rollers are typically mounted onto a swather, or mounted in aframe on wheels that is towed along behind the swather. Swath rollersgenerally comprise a drum of substantially cylindrical shape that ismounted either in a wheeled frame that straddles the swath, or in aframe attached to a swather such that the drum is positioned over theswath and rolls along the top of the swath that has just exited theswather and pushes the swath down into the standing stubble of the cutcrop.

Simple cylindrical swath rollers do nothing to compact or anchor theedges of the swath and so drums have been developed with ends which areshaped generally as the frustum of a cone so that the roller contactsboth the top and edges of the swath, and pushes the edges of the swathdown farther into the standing stubble than the middle. The swath isthen more resistant to movement by wind. Bumps and the like can also beprovided on the ends of the drum in an attempt to knit the swath intothe standing stubble. These various drum end sections can be generallyreferred to as edge compacting ends.

Canadian Patent Number 2,311,694 to Cresswell illustrates a typicalswath roller of both the tow behind trailer and swather mounted types.In swath rollers where the drum is mounted on a trailer pulled behindthe swather, the vertical position of the drum with respect to the frameis typically adjustable, but once adjusted the vertical position isfixed during operation, and the machine must be stopped for the operatorto attend to further adjustments. The trailers used typically comprise alight frame with a wheel on each side, and the drum mounted between thewheels such that the rotational axes of the wheels and drum aresubstantially aligned. The height of the drum above the ground thenstays substantially the same as the swather moves along sloping terrain.

On typical swather mounted models, the drum is mounted in a frame thatis pivotally attached to the rear of the swather about a horizontal axisoriented perpendicular to the travel direction. A winch is typicallymounted on the swather and a cable to the frame holds the frame and drumoff the ground at the desired vertical location, low enough to push theswath into the stubble, but above the ground. The drum and frame canfloat up from this minimum vertical location, but the winch cableprevents it from moving down past the limit of the cable.

As the swather moves through a field, the volume of crop material beingcut can vary significantly, such that the size of swath exiting the rearof the swather varies significantly as well, and in heavy crop areas theheight of the standing stubble left is often significantly higher aswell Where the swath gets very large and the stubble gets high, the drumfloats upward. On trailer mounted drums, the wheels of the light trailercan be lifted off the ground, while on swather mounted drums the drumsimply floats up and down as the swath varies.

In a typical operation the height of the drum is set at a height abovethe ground that is suitable for the average crop volume. In heavier cropareas the drum then floats upward, while in lighter crop areas, wherethe stubble is typically shorter, the drum may have little contact withthe swath.

Canadian Patent Number 2,635,859 to Miller discloses a swath rollersystem where the drum is moved up and down by an actuator that can beactivated by the swather operator to move the drum up and down withrespect to the ground while the vehicle is moving along the ground.While the drum does move up and down with respect to the ground, this isaccomplished by moving the drum up and down with respect to the vehicle,either a swather or trailer, to which same is mounted, and the drum isat a fixed location with respect to the swather or trailer. Unless thedrum is mounted on the same rotational axis as wheels of the vehicle,the relative position of the drum and the ground can changesignificantly when traversing steep slope changes, such that the drumcan sometimes be above and not touching the swath, or can be squashingthe swath into the ground. To avoid such problems in varying terrain,the drum may be operated in a float position so that the drum moves upand down in response to changes in the swath or the terrain beingtravelled.

When operated in the float position the drum exerts a downward anchoringforce on the swath that is equal to the weight of the drum and anymounting brackets etc. which move up and down with the drum.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure provides a swath roller apparatus that overcomesproblems in the prior art.

In a first embodiment the present disclosure provides a swath rollerapparatus for a swather, the swather operative to cut standing cropplants and lay cut plants in a swath as the swather moves along theground in an operating travel direction. The apparatus comprises a drumrotatably attached to an axle. The axle is adapted to be movablyattached to a rear portion of the swather such that the axle is orientedsubstantially horizontally and perpendicular to the operating traveldirection, and such that the drum moves up and down and rolls along atop of the swath exerting a downward anchoring force on the swath. Abias element is operative to exert a bias force on the axle, and a biasforce control is operative to vary the bias force to vary the anchoringforce.

In a second embodiment the present disclosure provides a method ofswathing a crop comprising moving a swather along the ground in anoperating travel direction such that the swather cuts standing cropplants and lays the cut plants in a swath behind the swather supportedon standing stubble of the cut crop plants; rotatably attaching a drumto a rear portion of the swather such that a rotational axis of the drumis oriented substantially horizontally and perpendicular to theoperating travel direction; allowing the drum to move up and down androll along a top of the swath such that the drum exerts a downwardanchoring force on the swath and pushes the swath into the standingstubble; exerting a bias force on the drum and manipulating a bias forcecontrol to vary the bias force to vary the anchoring force in responseto variations in the crop as the swather moves along the ground.

In the prior art, where the height of the drum is fixed, the drum issimply held at a location that is fixed with respect to the ground. Thusin a heavy crop where the swath is large and the standing stubble ishigh the swath is pushed far down into the stubble. In a lighter crophowever, the swath can be much smaller and the standing stubble alsomuch lower, so the swath may be pushed only slightly into the stubble ornot at all, leaving the swath subject to movement from wind.

In prior art swath rollers where the drum floats up and down as it rollsalong the top of the swath the anchoring force is the same regardless ofthe crop being cut. In a lighter crop, the swath may be pushed so fardown into the standing stubble that the swath is difficult to pull upout of the stubble when the swath is harvested. Increased contact withthe pick-up teeth of the harvester attempting to pick the swath out ofthe stubble can cause shelling of fragile crops and subsequent loss ofseeds and lost revenue. Harvesting speed is reduced as well. Similarlyin a heavier crop the anchoring force may be insufficient to push theswath sufficiently down into the stubble to anchor same and resistmovement by the wind, again resulting in lost crop plants and revenue.

In contrast, the swath roller apparatus of the present disclosureinstead exerts a downward anchoring force pushing the swath down intothe standing stubble that can be varied by the operator to suit cropconditions as they may vary throughout a field, or from one field toanother.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof,preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying detaileddescription which may be best understood in conjunction with theaccompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the several diagramsare labeled with like numbers, and where:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a swather cutting standing cropplants and laying same in a swath, and with an embodiment of a swathroller apparatus of the present disclosure mounted on a rear portionthereof;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of the swath rollerapparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the embodiment of the swath roller apparatus ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a swathroller apparatus of the present disclosure where the drum is mounted ona trailer;

FIG. 5 is a schematic cut-away side view of an alternate embodiment of aswath roller apparatus of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a schematic cut-away rear view of the embodiment of the swathroller apparatus of FIG. 5

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of an alternate embodiment of a swathroller apparatus of the present disclosure mounted directly under aswather.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-3 schematically illustrate an embodiment of a swath rollerapparatus 1 of the present disclosure for use with a swather 3. Theswather 3 is operative to cut standing crop plants 5 and lay cut plantsin a swath 7 supported on standing stubble 9 of the cut crop plants asthe swather moves along the ground in an operating travel direction T.

The apparatus 1 comprises a drum 11 rotatably attached to an axle 13.The axle 13 is adapted to be movably attached to a rear portion of theswather 3 such that the axle 13 is oriented substantially horizontallyand perpendicular to the operating travel direction T, and such that thedrum 11 moves up and down and rolls along a top of the swath 7 exertinga downward anchoring force AF on the swath 7 such as is known in theprior art where the drum 11 is allowed to float. The anchoring force AFis equal to the weight of the drum 11, axle 13, and any mountingframework for same. The rolling drum 11 pushes the swath 7 down into thestanding stubble 9, as schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 wheresame is anchored and resists movement by the wind.

In prior art swath rollers where the drum is fixed rather than floating,the drum is simply held at a location that is fixed with respect to theground, and in a heavy crop, where the swath 7 is large and the standingstubble 9 is high, the swath is pushed far down into the stubble 9,however where the crop is lighter the swath 7 is smaller and thestanding stubble is lower, so the swath may be pushed only slightly intothe stubble 9, or not at all, leaving the swath 7 unanchored and subjectto movement from wind.

In the prior art swath rollers where the drum is allowed to float,rolling along on the top of the swath, the anchoring force is the sameregardless of the crop being cut. In a lighter crop, the swath 7 may bepushed so far down into the standing stubble 9 that the swath isdifficult to pull up out of the stubble when the swath is harvested.Increased contact with the pick-up teeth of the harvester attempting topick the swath 7 out of the stubble 9 can cause shelling of fragilecrops and subsequent loss of seeds and lost revenue. Harvesting speed isreduced as well. Similarly in a heavier crop the anchoring force may beinsufficient to push the swath 7 sufficiently down into the stubble 9 toanchor same and resist movement by the wind, again resulting in lostcrop plants and revenue.

The swath roller apparatus 1 exerts a downward anchoring force AF thatcan be varied to suit crop conditions. Right and left bias elements,illustrated as hydraulic cylinders 15, are operative to exertsubstantially equal right and left bias forces RBF, LBF on correspondingright and left ends of the axle 13, the sum of the right and left biasforces RBF, LBF equaling a total bias force BF on the drum 11. In otherconfigurations, a single bias element could provide the bias force BF.Abias force control, provided by a hydraulic control valve 17, isoperative to vary the bias force BF. The bias force control 17 isadapted to be mounted at an operator's station 19 of the swather 3,where same can be manipulated by the operator during operation.

In the apparatus 1, the bias force BF is exerted in an upward directionon the axle 13 to reduce the anchoring force. The maximum anchoringforce AF will be equal to the weight of the drum 11, axle 13, and drumframe 21. This weight can be increased with ballast to achieve themaximum anchoring force that is contemplated to be required, and thebias force BF can be increased as desired by the operator to reduce theanchoring force AF to some force less than the maximum anchoring force.

As schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, the hydraulic cylinders 15 havefirst ports 23 thereof connected through a hydraulic control valve 17,to a pressurized hydraulic fluid source 25 of the swather 3. Thehydraulic fluid source 25 is configured, as is known in the art, suchthat a substantially constant bias pressure is maintained in thehydraulic cylinders 15 to exert a substantially constant bias force BF,and such that hydraulic fluid moves into and out of the hydrauliccylinders 15 through the first ports 23 in response to forces exerted onthe hydraulic cylinders 15 that are greater or less than the bias forceBF. The hydraulic control valve 17 is operative to vary the biaspressure in the hydraulic cylinders 15 to increase or decrease the biasforce BF, and thereby correspondingly decrease or increase the anchoringforce AF as the operator decides is required.

The hydraulic valve 17 is further operative to direct pressurizedhydraulic fluid through the first ports 23 of the hydraulic cylinders 15at a sufficiently increased bias pressure to raise the drum 11 above theswath 7.

In the illustrated apparatus 1, the drum 11 is rotatably mounted in adrum frame 21 that is adapted to be pivotally attached to the rearportion of the swather 3 about a drum frame axis DFA orientedsubstantially parallel to the rotational axis DRA on the axle 13 of thedrum 11. The bias elements, hydraulic cylinders 15, are operative toexert the upward bias force BF on forward extending members 27 of thedrum frame 21. To prevent damage to the drum 11, an adjustable stop 29limits downward movement of the drum 11 to a lowest location where thedrum 11 is above the ground.

In the apparatus 1 the drum frame 21 is adapted to be pivotally attacheddirectly to the rear portion of the swather 3 about the drum frame axisDFA. FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an alternate swath rollerapparatus 101 wherein the drum frame 121 comprises arms 127 pivotallyattached about the drum frame axis DFA to a trailer frame 131 mounted onwheels 133, and then the hitch tongue 135 of the trailer frame 131 isadapted to be attached to the rear portion of the swather 3. Hydrauliccylinders 115 exert the upward bias force BF on the arms 127.

FIGS. 5 and 6 schematically illustrate a further alternate swath rollerapparatus 201 where the drum 211 is rotatably mounted to an axle 213.Right and left guide plates 239 each define a guide channel 241, and areadapted to be attached to the rear portion of the swather 3 such thatthe guide plates 239 extend downward from the swather 3 Right and leftends of the axle 213 engage corresponding guide channels 241 in theright and left guide plates 239. Right and left bias elements, hydrauliccylinders 215, are operative to exert substantially equal right and leftbias forces RBF, LBF on corresponding right and left ends of the axle213.

In the apparatus 201, the hydraulic cylinders 215 are double actingcylinders, and the hydraulic control valve 217 is operative to directpressurized hydraulic fluid into either the first ports 223 to exert thebias force BF upward, or into the second ports 243 to exert the biasforce BF downward. Where it is contemplated that an increased anchoringforce AF may be desired that is greater than the weight of the drum,axle, and their mounting parts, the bias force BF can be exerteddownward to increase the anchoring force AF.

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a further alternate swath rollerapparatus 301 where the drum 311 is mounted on a drum frame 321 directlyunder a rear portion of the swather 3. Bias elements in the form ofhydraulic cylinders 315 provide the desired upward or downward biasforces to provide the desired anchoring force AF.

The present disclosure also provides a method of swathing a cropcomprising moving a swather 3 along the ground in an operating traveldirection T such that the swather cuts standing crop plants 5 and laysthe cut plants in a swath 7 behind the swather 3 supported on standingstubble 9 of the cut crop plants, rotatably attaching a drum 11 to arear portion of the swather 3 such that a rotational axis DRA of thedrum 11 is oriented substantially horizontally and perpendicular to theoperating travel direction T, allowing the drum 11 to move up and downand roll along a top of the swath 7 such that the drum 11 exerts adownward anchoring force AF on the swath 7 and pushes the swath 7 intothe standing stubble 9. In the prior art, the drum 11 is simply held ata location that is substantially fixed with respect to the ground, andin a heavy crop, where the swath 7 is large and the standing stubble 9is high, the swath is pushed far down into the stubble 9, however wherethe crop is lighter the swath 7 is smaller and the standing stubble islower, so the swath may be pushed only slightly into the stubble 9, ornot at all, leaving the swath 7 unanchored and subject to movement fromwind. The swath roller apparatus 1 of the present disclosure insteadexerts a downward anchoring force AF that can be selected by theoperator in response to varying crop conditions to push the swath 7 downinto the standing stubble 9 to a desired degree.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous changes and modifications willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or modificationsin structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended to fallwithin the scope of the claimed invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A swath roller apparatus for a swather, theswather operative to cut standing crop plants and lay cut plants in aswath as the swather moves along the ground in an operating traveldirection, the apparatus comprising: a drum rotatably attached to anaxle; wherein the axle is adapted to be movably attached to a rearportion of the swather such that the axle is oriented substantiallyhorizontally and perpendicular to the operating travel direction, andsuch that the drum moves up and down and rolls along a top of the swathexerting a downward anchoring force on the swath; a bias elementoperative to exert a bias force on the axle; and a bias force controloperative to vary the bias force to vary the anchoring force.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the bias force control is adapted to bemounted at an operator's station of the swather.
 3. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the bias force is exerted in an upward direction on theaxle to reduce the anchoring force.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe bias force is exerted in a downward direction on the axle toincrease the anchoring force.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein thebias element is provided by a hydraulic cylinder with a first portthereof connected to a pressurized hydraulic fluid source of the swathersuch that the bias force is directed in a first direction, the hydraulicfluid source configured such that a substantially constant bias pressureis maintained in the hydraulic cylinder to exert a substantiallyconstant bias force, and such that hydraulic fluid moves into and out ofthe hydraulic cylinder through the first port in response to forcesexerted on the hydraulic cylinder that are greater or less than the biasforce.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the bias force controlcomprises a hydraulic control valve operative to vary the bias pressurein the hydraulic cylinder to vary the bias force.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 6 wherein the hydraulic valve is further operative to directpressurized hydraulic fluid through a second port of the hydrauliccylinder such that the bias force is directed in a second directionopposite the first direction.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein thehydraulic valve is operative to direct pressurized hydraulic fluidthrough one of the first and second ports at an increased bias pressuresuch that the drum is raised above the swath.
 9. The apparatus of claim1 wherein the axle is mounted in a drum frame, and wherein the drumframe is adapted to be pivotally attached to the rear portion of theswather about a drum frame axis oriented substantially parallel to theaxle, and wherein the bias element is operative to exert the bias forceon the drum frame.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the drum frameis pivotally attached to a trailer frame mounted on wheels, and thetrailer frame is adapted to be attached to the rear portion of theswather.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9 comprising right and left biaselements operative to exert substantially equal right and left biasforces on corresponding right and left sides of the drum frame.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 1 comprising right and left guide plates eachdefining a guide channel, the guide plates adapted to be attached to therear portion of the swather such that the guide plates extend downwardfrom the swather, and wherein right and left ends of the axle engagecorresponding guide channels in the right and left guide plates.
 13. Theapparatus of claim 12 comprising right and left bias elements operativeto exert substantially equal right and left bias forces on correspondingright and left ends of the axle.
 14. The apparatus of claim 1 furthercomprising a stop limiting downward movement of the drum.
 15. A methodof swathing a crop comprising: moving a swather along the ground in anoperating travel direction such that the swather cuts standing cropplants and lays the cut plants in a swath behind the swather supportedon standing stubble of the cut crop plants; rotatably attaching a drumto a rear portion of the swather such that a rotational axis of the drumis oriented substantially horizontally and perpendicular to theoperating travel direction; allowing the drum to move up and down androll along a top of the swath such that the drum exerts a downwardanchoring force on the swath and pushes the swath into the standingstubble; exerting a bias force on the drum and manipulating a bias forcecontrol to vary the bias force to vary the anchoring force in responseto variations in the crop as the swather moves along the ground.
 16. Themethod of claim 15 wherein the bias element is provided by connecting afirst port of a hydraulic cylinder to a pressurized hydraulic fluidsource of the swather such that the bias force is directed in one of anupward and downward direction, and manipulating the bias force controlto vary a bias pressure in the hydraulic cylinder to vary the biasforce, and allowing hydraulic fluid to move into and out of thehydraulic cylinder through the first port in response to forces exertedon the hydraulic cylinder that are greater or less than the bias force.17. The method of claim 16 comprising directing pressurized hydraulicfluid through a second port of the hydraulic cylinder such that the biasforce is directed in the other of the upward and downward directions.18. The method of claim 17 comprising directing pressurized hydraulicfluid through one of the first and second ports at an increased biaspressure to raise the drum above the swath.
 19. The method of claim 15further comprising limiting downward movement of the drum to a lowestlocation where the drum is above the ground.